Move by judge has staff busy

Posted: Sunday, December 26, 2010

By Joe Johnson

The U.S. Senate hasn't voted to confirm Steve Jones as a federal court judge, but he and other court officials have been busy preparing the way for another jurist to replace him on the Superior Court bench in Clarke and Oconee counties.

Ever since the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Jones' appointment last month, the judge and his staff have been in overdrive mode, readying Jones' docket of cases for his successor.

"They've been having status conferences and calendar calls for every case that's been pending for lengthy periods of time, getting everyone back in court to make sure things are moving along and to get as many resolved as possible," said T.J. Bement, court administrator for the state's 10th Judicial Circuit.

"They have been doing all of their due diligence to move cases right along so if (Jones) had to make a quick exit he would be able to do so," Bement said. "By observing calendars and the number of cases that have been called in, I know they have been very, very active with very little down time."

The full Senate hasn't scheduled a vote on Jones' nomination, but the vote is expected to go to the floor sometime after Congress reconvenes Jan. 5. The nomination has been pending on the Senate's executive calendar since Dec. 8.

The governor's office cannot begin selecting a replacement judge until Jones submits his resignation, which he is expected to do within two weeks of the Senate vote, according to Bement.

When Jones resigns, the state Judicial Nominating Commission will provide the governor with the names of lawyers or judges who might replace him, Bement said, a process that might not begin until after Gov.-elect Nathan Deal is sworn in Jan. 10.

Whoever is selected will serve out the remainder of Jones' four-year term, then must run for election in 2012.

In the meantime, retired Superior Court judges - called senior judges - will fill in to handle cases that would have been assigned to Jones.

"With the judges' calendars set a year in advance, we already know what Jones' trial weeks look like for January and February," Bement said. "We can call on our senior judges and start scheduling them for trial weeks."

Clarke and Oconee counties haven't had a senior judge preside since retired judge Joseph Gaines died in 2007.

But Lawton Stephens, chief judge for the Western Judicial Circuit - which serves both counties - said plenty of experienced judges are close by.

"Several excellent senior judges live in surrounding counties and are ready, willing and able to resolve any cases assigned to them," Stephens said. "Judge Jones' caseload will be handled expeditiously and professionally."

Stephens and the other remaining Superior Court judge in the Western Judicial Circuit, David Sweat, will pitch in before Jones' replacement takes the local bench by presiding over requests for protective orders and other emergency hearings, Bement said.

Each local judge already handles about 2,400 criminal and civil cases, but Stephens said he and Sweat will be able to handle even heavier caseloads with the help of senior judges.

"I expect court operations to proceed smoothly during the interim period while we wait for the governor to appoint Judge Jones' successor," Stephens said.

President Obama nominated Jones in July to become a U.S. District Court judge in the Northern Circuit of Georgia. The post has been vacant since 2008, when Orinda D. Evans became a part-time senior judge. The circuit has courthouses in Atlanta, Newnan, Rome and Gainesville, but Jones is expected to be assigned to Atlanta, where Evans served.